Recent content by maize

Appleman: I would love to know more about the non-kit varietal wines that won all of those awards. Can you post your description on each.

Congratulations everyone! And thanks George for tracking the results! I checked this morning and still don't see them on Winemakers. Appleman - Did you really only enter 6 wines - and you had 4 medals? That is awesome!

I don't think I ever completely dry my carboys. After washing, I store then with some Meta solution in them and seal with saran wrap and a rubber band until I use them again.

It was a good one - thanks. I opened a 2 year old Spanish Monastrell Cabernet (RQ). It was very good. I opened a Dry Creek 1997 Reserve Cab later and it was better - but not by too much!

From what I heard, the juices may have started fermenting before they got to George. Mine was only at 1.070 and it was 34F when I got it. I think if this as an experiment that George ran to see if he could satisfy his out of town customers - and I think it was worth the try. I think George had...

I got the frozen Barolo last night - 2 days. It was packed well, but George had warned me - so I unpacked the juice at the edge of my garage. It was a good thing they packed it in a plastic garbage bag. The box was dry, but when I placed the juice pale in the bag on the concrete - a red puddle...

I too put some K-meta solution in the carboy after cleaning. I just use some plastic wrap and a rubber band to seal it, so I don't have to worry about knocking off the airlock.

I've always added raisins whole. They float and can be skimmed off when racking. Also, after fermentation and squeezing the skimmed skins, there doesn't seem to be much to the taste if you try eating them. I never even thought about shredding them in a blender!

Jack: I did add some house toast french oak to mine - only about 2 oz worth. It doesn't show too much at this point, but I think I can taste it just a bit. I always add some oak during bulk ageing - even to whites (although sometimes it is just an oz or so). I still think most commercial...

George was going to try to send meone of myfrozen musts this week, but when he picked them up from the ice house, there were not completely frozen - so he sent them back and willship them all next week.

I agree with you - the only good Amarones that I have had were with a friend who has a huge cellar and really enjoys them. If it weren't for him, I would have no idea what an Amarone is supposed to taste like. So although I like the WE Amarone (great color,by the way), I have a hard time...

I have the WE Amarone at about 9 months of age -bottled about 2-3 months. I also have the MM masters Amarone beginning to bulk age. We drank the first bottle of WE Amaronethe othernight - it was good with hints of what I look for in an Amarone - but just hints. It was much more like a very good...

I'm not a white person, but those three reds DO sound impressive! Makes my mouth water reading the detailed descriptions.

Rambler: I think most of us have mixed up a batch or two at some time. I know that I once re-stabilized a batch after getting back from a 2 week trip..... For labeling - I still recommend the blue tape used for painting and a permanent marker. It works great and can be transfered 3-5...

I have a similar experience with the Masters Amarone. The starting SpG was only about 1.090 and the final alcohol content is stated as 14.5%. I was wondering how much the raisins would add to the final ABV. I wrote MM an email (weeks ago), but have not heard back from them. It is a little...